ME ICA. of hAme he NORTH AMERICA. CA 1. Of the Progress of the Discovery of North America. ress of Abstracting our attention now to the progress of disco discovery with regard to that important division of this continent called NORTH AMERICA, we may observe, that within two years after the first discovery of America by Columbus, Henry VII. of England granted a commission to John Cabot, a Venetian, who resided many hyears at Bristol, to discover unknown lands, and annex them to the crown. He first sailed in the spring of 1497, carrying with him his three sons, one of whom was named Sebastian, and seems to have been a principal person in the conduct of the voyage. In this voyage they steered directly west for several weeks, upon the parallel of Bristol, and fell in with a large island, which they first called Prima Vista, but which the sailors and subsequent usage named Newfoundland. Here, and at the smaller island of St. John's (so called from its being discovered on the feast-day of that saint), they landed, and brought away several of the productions of the country, and three of the inhabitants. They now coasted the whole of the N. E. promontory of America, between the 38th and 56th degrees of latitude; but though the Cabots were thus certainly the first to discover our earliest transatlantic plantations, we do not hear of any particular observations they made upon any portion of these extensive shores, nor even of any names of places which were given by them. Early in the year 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon, who ards had subjugated Porto Rico to the crown of Spain, sailed from that island northerly, and discovered the continent in 30°, 8' N. lat. Arriving at a period of the year when the surrounding country was covered with verdure, he called it Florida; but being resisted in his attemps to effect a landing, he returned to Porto Rico, after exploring the neighbouring channel, now called the gulf of Florida. In 1517 Hernandez Cordova, an opulent planter of Cuba, sailed for the continent from that island, standing directly west; and coasting round the eastern point of Yucatan (hitherto thought to be part of a large island), reached the bay of Campeachy. Here he met with a severe repulse from the inhabitants, in attempting to land near Potonchan; and after satisfying himself of the fertility of the country, and bringing away some gold ornaments of the natives, returned to Cuba for succours. The longest and most successful voyage that the Spaniards had hitherto undertaken in this direction was now determined on. De Grijalva, a young but brave soldier, under Diego Velasquez, the original conqueror of the island, headed two hundred and forty volunteers from Cuba, many of whom were persons of considerable fortune, and the expedition, pursuing the same course as the former, made the island of Cozumel, to the east of Yucatan, in April, 1518. Without any particular occurrence they reached Potonchan, on the western side of the peninsula, and, with the assistance of their field-pieces, obtained a difficult victory over the natives: admiring the country, but not strong enough to possess themselves of it, they now coasted onward to the west, and, discovering numerous villages, in which they could distinguish houses of stone, with other appearances of superior cultivation, unanimously named this district New Spain. They were amicably received by the inhabitants of that part of the coast, now forming the province of Guaxaca; and, after touching successively at a small island, which they named the isle of Sacrifices, from first beholding the horrible sacrifice of human beings here; Juan de Ulua, near Vera Cruz; and Panuco, in N. lat. 23°; and leaving fertile provinces stretching northward whose boundaries they could not imagine,they returned with great triumph to Cuba. AME RICA. The French nation, roused by the enterprizing spirit The French. of discovery which animated the courts of Spain, Portugal, and England, in the year 1524 sent out a Florentine adventurer, named Verrazano, to America. He traversed the coast from latitude 28° to 50° N.; but was unfortunately lost in his second voyage. The year afterwards, Stephen Gomez, a Spaniard, sailed from the Groyne, in Spain, to Cuba and Florida; thence, northward, to cape Raye, or Razo, in lat. 46° N. in search of a north-west passage to the East Indies. In the year 1534, James Cartier, under the auspices of the French government, sailed from St. Maloes, and arrived at Newfoundland, from whence he sailed northerly, and, on the festival of St. Lawrence, found himself in lat. 48°, 30′ N. in the midst of a wide gulf, to which he gave the name of that saint, and also to the river which empties itself into this capacious bay. The next year he sailed up the river as far as the Rapids, above Montreal; and having built a small fort, in which he wintered, called the country New France. He returned home the following spring. About seven years after this, Francis La Roche, then. lord of Roberval, was sent out by the French king, with Cartier in his suite, as viceroy of these newly-discovered regions. He planted a colony, with Cartier at its head, which was shortly afterwards broken up; and nothing of consequence appears to have been accomplished by the French in these parts, until the year 1608, when Champlain, a merchant of Dieppe, and his followers, established themselves between the rivers St. Lawrence and St. Charles, founded the city of Quebec, and gave the name of their governor to lake Champlain. That portion of North America known by the name of Carolina, and part of the extensive line of coast first denominated Florida by Ponce de Leon, seems to have been called by the former name, in honour of Charles IX. king of France, who sent out a fleet, under the command of John Ribalt, in the year 1562. He arrived at cape Francis, on the coast of Florida, near which, on the 1st of May, he entered a river, which he called May river. This is supposed to be that which is now called St. Mary's, and forms. the southern boundary of the United States. Ribalt discovered many other rivers northward; amongst them was one which he called Port Royal. He built a fort in this neighbourhood, and planted a small colony, which he left under the government of a Captain Albert. About two years after the death of Albert, who was slain in a mutiny among the colonists, the Freneh sent out another expedition to Florida, under the command of Rene Laudonier. In June, 1564, he built a fort on May river, which he called Carolina. During several years after this, the various forts erected in this part of the continent were contested by the Spaniards and the French, and were, at last, for the most part destroyed. In 1576, the British government sent out Captain AME Forbisher to find out a north-west passage to the East Indies. In this voyage he discovered several capes, and the straits which bear his name. Sir Humphrey Gilbert, in the year 1583, explored Conception bay, on discoveries the east side of Newfoundland; St. John's harbour British continued. and the adjacent continent; and in the following year, Settle ments. AM have been founded about the year 1634; and Rhode Island about the same time. New Jersey was finally RIC settled about 1664; and Carolina about five years afterwards. William Penn, the celebrated quaker, had a royal charter of extensive lands granted to him in the year 1680-1, and the first colony went over the next year: thus commenced the foundation of the flourishing state of Pennsylvania. Georgia, so named in honour of King George II. of England, was founded in 1732; Kentucky was explored by James Macbride, in 1754, and in 1773 the present settlement was founded. In the last century, Cook, Vancouver, and the Russian navigators, seem to have completed the discovery of the western coast of America. Mr. Herne, under the direction of the Hudson's-bay Mr. H company, in an expedition which lasted from the 7th travels of December, 1770, to the 30th of June, 1772, proceeded from Prince of Wales's fort, on the Churchill river, in lat. 58°, 471' N. and lon. 94°, 71′ W. of Greenwich, or 19° W. of Philadelphia, to the mouth of the Copper-mine river, which, according to some accounts, is in lat. 72° N. and lon. 119° W. from Greenwich, or 44° W. of Philadelphia; but is laid down by others in latitude 69° N. and lon. 112° W. from Greenwich, or 37° W. from Philadelphia. But The first town that was settled by the English in the Hudson's-bay company, acting upon a contracted North America was called James town, near the policy, did not render all those services to the subChesapeak bay. This was in the year 1607; but the ject of American Geography which might have been great foundation of Anglo-American population was expected. The enterprizing spirit, however, of cerlaid in the opposition that was made in this country tain Canadian traders, afterwards united under the to the religious opinions and practices of a Mr. Robin- name of the North-west company, amply supplied son, a baptist teacher, who, with part of his congrega- the deficiency. Prior to the year 1789, they had extion, removed from the north of England to Holland, and tended their discoveries and establishments along the from thence emigrated to Plymouth, in New England, numerous lakes and rivers situated north of that high for the professed purpose of enjoying "purity of wor- tract of country which divides the Mississippi and ship and liberty of conscience," in the year 1620. A Missouri waters from those which run towards the very minute and curious account of the origin and pro- north and east, to within a short distance of the gress of this colony, written by one of the original Rocky mountains. settlers, is to be found in Purchase's Collections. They venture to assure the Virginia Company, for whose protection they applied, "that it was not with them as other men, whom small things could discourage, or small discontents cause them to wish themselves home again." Long island, New York, and the river which bears his name, were discovered by Henry Hudson, in the year 1608 or 1609. In 1510, this intrepid navigator penetrated the straits which are called after him, and wintered in the bay called Hudson's bay. New Hampshire appears to have been settled about the year 1623; and the first English colony in Massachusetts bay, about five years afterwards. The rigour which was exercised against the Roman Catholics in this country, in the reign of Charles I., banished to the New World Lord Baltimore, and a great many other persecuted individuals. His lordship had obtained a grant of a tract of land upon the Chesapeak bay, about one hundred and forty miles long and one hundred and thirty broad; but dying before the patent could be sent after him, his son, Cecil Calvert, first acted under the grant, and spent a large fortune in establishing the colony in 1632. It was called Maryland, in honour of Queen Henrietta Maria. The English settlement of Connecticut appears to In the summer of the year 1789, Mr. M'Kenzie made MK a voyage from Fort Chepavyan, on the Lake of the hills, in lat. 58°, 40' N. and lon. 110°, 30′ W. from Greenwich, or 35°, 22′ W. from Philadelphia, by the way of the Hare river, Hare lake, and a river by which this lake discharges its waters, since called M'Kenzie's river, to the mouth of that river, where it falls into the North sea, in lat. 69°, 14' N. and lon. 135 W. from Greenwich, or 59°, 52′ W. from Philadelphia. Mr. McKenzie again, in the year 1793, penetrated from an establishment on the Peace river, in lat. 56°, 9' N. and lon. 117°, 35′ W. from Greenwich, or 41°, 27' W. from Philadelphia, to the Pacific ocean, in lat. 52°, 24' N and lon. 128, 2′ W. from Greenwich, or 52°, 54' W. from Philadelphia. By the discoveries above alluded to, and those occasionally made during the rapid settlement of the country and the progress of enterprize, the principal divisions of this northern continent have been explored and become known. The line separating these Par from the parts which remain unexplored and unknown, unk may be considered as commencing at the Pacific ocean, in latitude about 38° N. and running along the high lands and mountains, between the waters which fall into the gulfs of California and Mexico and those which fall into the Missouri river; continuing in that direction to the Mississippi; and thence up that river ME to the source of its highest north-western branch. It now CA. proceeds along the high tract of country which divides the waters of the Missouri from those which fall into Hudson's bay and the North sea, and across the Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean, in lat. about 52° N. To the S. of this general division line, the known countries are all Old and New Mexico, and a portion of Louisiana; to the S. E. West and East Florida; to the E. the United States; to the N. E. Canada, the Labrador country, part of New South Wales, and of other districts round Hudson's bay; and to the north part of New South Wales, the Athabosca, and other countries, containing the establishments of the Hudson'sbay and North-west companies, and those explored by Hearne and M'Kenzie. The unknown and unexplored countries (except so far as the surveys made by navigators of the coast of the Pacific ocean, and the imperfect accounts of the travellers who have ascended the Missouri have furnished information) comprehend the tract enclosed by this line, containing, in breadth, about 1,000 miles, and in length about 1,800 miles in a direct line; and, by the way of the Missouri and Columbia rivers, nearly twice that distance. In the year 1804, the American government sent out nd a corps of discovery under the command of Captains Lewis and Clarke, of the army of the United States. They passed from the mouth of the Missouri, through the interior parts of North America to the Pacific ocean, and have materially illustrated the geography of that river. Major Pike, in 1805, successfully explored the course of the Mississippi, and in a second expedition, penetrated the interior of Louisiana, surveying the whole of those majestic waters which rise in the rocky mountains of that district, and run westward into the Missouri and Mississippi. The recent and splendid contributions of M. Humboldt to our scientific information respecting the equinoctial regions can hardly be ranked with the expeditions of discovery above mentioned; but we shall not fail to avail ourselves of them in the progress of this article. From this succinct view of the progress of our acquaintance with North America, we may now proceed to the minuter details the geography and topography of this continent. For the character and varieties of the aboriginal inhabitants of America, see the article INDIANS. II. Geographical details of North America generally. EXTENT AND GENERAL APPEARANCE.-North ta. America comprehends all that part of the western continent which lies N. of the isthmus of Darien, in about the ninth degree of N. latitude; and extends to the Polar regions, where its boundaries are unknown. Its eastern extremity on the coast of Labrador is in 550, and its western (cape Prince of Wales, Behring's straits), in 165° W. lon. from Greenwich. There is, as we have intimated, a considerable difference between the New World and the Old, in all their general features. The former is distinguished for its vastness and grandeur; its rivers, in their extensive courses and innumerable windings; its mountains, in their sublime elevation, and overawing boldness and majesty; its forests, in their extraordinary variety and magnitude;-in short, all the chief productions of this continent possess a certain characteristic superiority to most other parts of the globe, that cannot fail to ar VOL. XVII. rest the attention of the most rapid traveller. The N. AME- cal details. Mexico. GULFS, BAYS, AND STRAITS.-The Gulf of Mexico Gulf of is the largest and most celebrated of the inland seas of America. It is situated in an excellent climate, and presents at its entrance the Archipelago of North American islands denominated the West Indies. A remarkable current, called the gulf-stream, here sets in towards the N. E., and passes on to the banks of Newfoundland, at the rate of three miles an hour. It is of a circular form, commencing on the African coast; thence running across the Atlantic, and behind the islands of South America and Cuba, into the gulf of Mexico; from which it finds a passage toward the cape of Florida and the Bahama islands, and runs northeasterly along the American coast to Newfoundland, thence to the European coast; and along the coast southerly till it meets the trade-winds. It is about seventy-five miles from the shores of the southern states of America. Its breadth is from forty to fifty miles, widening towards the N.; but rendered narrower by a north-east wind, and broader by the north-west and west winds. This is, perhaps, one of the most remarkable currents in the ocean; and we shall, therefore, take this opportunity of describing it more at length. The vessels sailing from Europe to the West Indies Gulf are accelerated by equinoctial currents before they stream. arrive at the torrid zone. In a more northern passage, under 28° and 35 lat. between the parallels of Teneriffe and Ceuta, in 46° and 48° W. lon. no regular stream is observable. Here a zone of about 140 leagues in breadth begins to separate the equinoctial current, which tends to the W. from that which runs towards the E., and is remarkable for its high temperature. Humboldt says, "I there observed (gulf of Plorida), in the month of May, 1804, in the 26th and 27th degrees of N. lat. a celerity of eighty miles in twenty-four hours, or five feet every second; though at this period the north wind blew with great violence." The current, at the termination of the gulf of Florida, runs to the N. E.; and its rapidity is sometimes five miles an hour. On the approach of a ship to New York, Charlestown, or Philadelphia, it may be known when it enters the gulf-stream by the elevated temperature of the waters, their strong saltness, deep blue colour, the shoals of sea-weed, and the heat of the surrounding atmosphere. Towards the N. this rapidity increases, and the heat of the waters diminish, though the breadth of the current widens. Off Charlestown, and in its parallel opposite cape Henlopen, the current is forty or fifty leagues broad. Where the stream is the narrowest, it runs from three to five miles an hour, and at about the rate of one mile an hour as it proceeds towards the N. In the parallel of New York and Oporto, the temperature of this gulf-stream, or current, is equal to that of the seas in the 18th degree of latitude between the tropics. To the E. of Boston, and on the meridian of Halfax, under 41° N. lat. and 67° W. lon.; this current is nearly eighty leagues broad. It bends from this 3 D RICA. cal details. N. AME point to the E., and its western limit skirts the extremity of the great bank of Newfoundland. The gulf-stream runs towards the E. and E. S. E. Geographi- from the 52d degree of W. lon. to the Azores; and at 1,000 leagues distance, in the straits of Florida, between the isle of Cuba and the shoals of the Tortoise island, the strong impulse originally received is still felt. This distance is double the length of the course of the river of the Amazons. Gulfs of St. The Gulf of St. Lawrence is formed by the outlet of Lawrence, the river of that name, which will be afterwards deFlorida, and California. scribed. The main entrance into this gulf from the Atlantic ocean is on the E. between cape Ray, the south point of Newfoundland, and the north cape of this island of Cape Breton; the straits of Belleisle lead into it from the N. between Newfoundland and the coast of Labrador. It contains some islands, particularly St. John's and Anticosti. Hudson's, Baffin's, Bay of Honduras, &c. The Gulf of Florida is the channel situated between the peninsula of Florida and the Bahama islands, N. of the island of Cuba. The gulf-stream already mentioned finds a passage through it, and runs along the American coast to the N. E. On the opposite, or western coast of this continent is found the Gulf of California, which washes the eastern shore of the country of California. It is, in reality, an arm of the Pacific ocean, intercepted between cape Corrientes on the one side, and cape St. Lucar on the other: that is to say, between Mexico or New Spain on the N. E. and California on the W. It is in the whole nearly 300 leagues in length, with a various width of from 0 to 30 or 40 leagues. Hudson's Bay extends from the entrance of Hudson's strait to the shores of New North Wales, and about 1,000 miles in length from N. to S., exceeding the Baltic both in length and breadth. The shores are rocky and shelving, and the climate rigorous in the extreme during the whole year, with the single exception of the month of June, when the heat is intense. The common whale is found here; and the beluga, or white whale, is taken in considerable numbers in the month of June, when the rivers in the S. have discharged their ice; but the bay itself does not by any means abound in fish. Common muscles are frequent, but shell-fish is, generally speaking, scarce; sturgeons are sometimes caught near Albany. Baffin's Bay, as far as it is known, appears to be the most northern gulf or bay of America, and is situate between 70° and 80° N. lat. opening into the Atlantic ocean through Davis's strait. It abounds with whales, and communicates, on the south-western side of that strait, with Hudson's bay, through a cluster of islands. The Bay of Honduras is of considerable extent, deriving its appellation from the province of that name. Its situation is between the cape Honduras and that of Coteche, at the eastern extremity of the province of Yucatan. It is chiefly notorious for the establishment formed on its shores by the English, for cutting dyeing wood, and has been a frequent subject of litigation between the courts of London and Spain. The Bay of Campeachy is at the southern extremity of the Gulph of Mexico, and W. of Yucatan. It is noted for the woods yielded by the neighbourhood. Fundy Bay is another extensive bay of the North American continent, which opens between the islands in Penobscot haven, in Lincoln county, Maine, and N. AM cape Sable, the S. W. point of Nova Scotia, stretch- RICA ing about 200 miles in a north-eastern direction, and with Verte Bay, which proceeds inland from the Geograp straits of Northumberland, in a south-western direc- cal deta tion, forming a narrow isthmus, which unites Nova Scotia to the continent. Bristol Bay lies northward of the peninsula of Alascha, by which it is formed, and is terminated by cape Newnham. In addition to the chief bays already mentioned, we Sounds may allude to others, which have received the distinctive appellation of Sounds, as those of Prince William, Queen Charlotte, and Nootka sound; the latter of which is very considerable, and is also called King George's sound. Fuca, Behring's Straits, so called from a Russian naviga- Behring tor, separate Asia from America, and are situated in St. Ju E. lon. 168°, 15'. N. lat. 65°, 46'. From the south of Davis's these straits to the crescent of isles between Asia and strait, America, the sea is remarkably shallow, but deepens from them till soundings are lost in the Pacific ocean, to the south of the isles. It has been supposed, from the volcanic indications, that the entire space from the islands to the straits, was, at some remote period, dry, and that the fury of the water, instigated by fire, overwhelmed the whole tract, leaving the islands as monuments of its desolating force. The Japanese maps place some islands within these straits, bearing the appellation of Ya Zuc, or the kingdom of the Dwarfs; whence it is inferred, that the Japanese were acquainted with the western continent. The Straits of Juan de Fuca lie on the N. W. coast; the entrance to them is between cape Flattery, on the S. side, and the opposite shores of the Quadras isles, on the N. W. coast of which is Nootka sound. Davis's Strait, so called from John Davis, who was its discoverer in the year 1585, runs between the coasts of Greenland and Labrador, to about N. lat. 70°, where it terminates in Baffin's bay. Cumberland Strait and Hudson's Strait are two distinct channels, between Davis's strait and Hudson's bay. The unexplored inlet, called Forbisher's or Frobisher's Strait, is between Cumberland and Davis's Straits. Huro LAKES. The lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron, Lates may be considered as forming one large inland sea, peron chiga dividing the United States from Canada, which has been termed, with some propriety, the sea of Canada. According to the French charts, that part of this extensive collection of waters which is called Lake Superior is not less than 1,500 miles in circumference. The coast is remarkably rocky and broken; the water is transparent, and the bed of the lake very stony. Several islands are scattered up and down this lake; one of them, called Minong, is about 60 miles in length. The savages are superstitious enough to believe that these islands are the residence of what they call the Great Spirit. It is supposed that thirty rivers at least fall into this lake, some of them of considerable size. The principal fish are sturgeons and trout; the latter sometimes weighing from thirty to fifty pounds, and may be caught at all seasons of the year. Lake Superior opens into Lake Huron, by the straits of St. Mary, which are 40 miles in length, and in some places only about one or two miles in breadth. The circumference of this AME- lake is reckoned at about 1,000 miles; and on the CA. northern side are the islands of Manatulan. tails. and rio. Lake Michigan, the third of this chain, is navigable raphi for ships of any burthen; it communicates with lake Huron by a channel six miles broad, and is 900 miles in circumference, exclusive of the Puans, or Green bay, which runs inland for about eighty miles. According to Mr. Morse's account, these lakes never freeze over, though the entrances are frequently obstructed with ice. Lakes Eric and Ontario, which are connected by the fall of Niagara, and are both of considerable magnitude, belong to the chain of lakes between the United States and Upper Canada. The lakes Huron and Michigan are in communication with the former. The division line between the state of New York and Canada, passes through the lake Ontario, leaving 2,390,000 acres of its waters within the United States. The circumference of this lake is about 600, and that of lake Erie about 500 miles. plain. Lake Champlain forms part of the dividing line between the states of New York and Vermont. Its length is about 200 miles, its breadth from one to eighteen, and it occupies about 500,000 acres. This lake presents a number of islands on its surface, the most considerable of which are North and South Hero, and Motti island. Half the rivers and streams which rise in the state of Vermont are said to fall into it. Several reach it from New York state, and some from Canada, whither it sends its own waters in a northerly course into the St. Lawrence. jeg. SCOW ins. The Lake of Winipic, or Winnipeg, may be considered as an inland sea, although it is considerably inferior to the Slave lake, or sea, from which Mackenzie's river pursues its course to the Arctic ocean. The geography of the Slave Sea, or lake, is very defective; but, according to Arrowsmith's map, it may be estimated at about 200 miles long and 100 broad. To the Athapescow Lake, or Lake of the hills, the same remark may be applied; it is generally laid down between the lat. of 57° and 58°, or about 3° S. E. of the Slave lake. CAPES. The following are the principal capes of North America, reckoning downwards, from the N. W. The Alaschian cape, in 55° N. lat.; cape Mendocino, cape St. Lucas, cape Corrientes, cape Verde, cape Blanco, on the western side; and on the eastern, cape Charles, cape Cod, cape Hatteras, cape Henlopen. The latter, situated on the S. W. side of the bay of Delaware, has a light-house, erected a few miles below the town of Lewis, of an octagon form, 115 feet in height, with a foundation nearly as much above the level of the sea. The lantern is seven or eight feet square, lighted with eight lamps, and seen at the distance of ten leagues off the coast. - MOUNTAINS. The mountains in North America are by no means so lofty as those of the southern division, although they exceed those of Europe and the Old World, the Alps alone excepted. Yet nature here assumes almost every variety of aspect with which she adorns the face of the earth. The gently-undulating vale, the widely-extended plain, and the bold and rocky eminence, give a richness and variety to the American continent of the most inviting nature. The ny. Alleghany, or, as they are sometimes called, naming the whole from a part, the Apalachian Mountains, the most celebrated in North America, pass through the territory cal details. of the United States from the S. W. to the N. E. N. AMEThey commence on the north of Georgia, where they RICA. give rise to many rivers running southward to the gulf of Mexico. Many tracts of fine arable and grazing Geographi land intervene between the ridges of these mountains, known by the epithets of the Iron mountains, the White Oak mountains, the Laurel ridge, the Black ridge, the North ridge, and others. The Cumberland mountains form the exterior skirt on the northwestern side; whence the Apalachian chain runs on through the province of Virginia, and proceeds through Pennsylvania, passes by Hudson's river, afterwards terminating in the country of New Brunswick. This chain of mountains is thought to extend nine hundred geographical miles, a distance unparalleled by any mountains of the Old continent, if we except, perhaps, the Norwegian Alps. An immense range of mountains, or rather a series of ridges, runs between the Atlantic, the Mississipi, and the lakes; extending, nearly parallel with the sea coast, for about 900 miles. The Shining Mountains, Shining so called from the number of large crystals sparkling mountains. on their surface, are a part of this vast range, beginning at Mexico, and continuing northward on the E. of California, separate the waters of those rivers which fall into the gulf of Mexico, or the gulf of California; thence they are continued to about 47 or 48 degrees of N. latitude. To these are joined the Rocky or Stony Rocky Mountains, which extend as far as N. lat. 55°; after mountains. which their elevation becomes very inconsiderable. RIVERS. This fine continent abounds with the most The St. noble rivers, spread over vast extents of territory, and Lawrence. adminstering no less to its political than to its geographical importance. Amongst these the St. Lawrence has formerly been supposed to hold the highest rank; and is now, in point of breadth, the most magnificent collection of fresh water on the whole globe; but the Mississippi and the Missouri far exceed it in length. This river can only be regarded as issuing from lake Ontario, though it communicates successively with all the great lakes; and, after a course of nearly 750 miles, finally empties itself into the ocean. At its origin it runs through a long and somewhat narrow valley, diversified with numerous tributary streams; and, unlike some others of the great rivers of America, its bed is continually improving. From lake Ontario to Montreal it is often called the Iroquois; and, taking a N. E. course, encircles the island of Montreal; just above which it receives the Utawas, or Grand river, from the W., and forms numerous fertile islands. From Montreal, it assumes the name of St. Lawrence, and, continuing the same course, passes by Quebec, and meets the tide upwards of 400 miles from the sea, and is so far navigable for large vessels. In many parts it is the support of numerous steam-boats, which are used as much for freight as for passengers. The breadth of this noble river is its grand characteristic; being not less than 90 miles wide at its mouth, and about five miles wide at Quebec. Even as far as Montreal, it is from two to four miles in breadth; and, although impeded by some rapids, affords a navigation of 743 miles, calculating from its mouth to the lake Ontario. The stream generally known by the name of the Mississippi. Mississippi, in point of beauty and magnificence, may be considered the next in order. Its source is about |